Most people enjoy certain seasons more than they do others. For outdoors types, summer is a magical time when each day seems to be extended by several hours because the sun does not set until 9:00 pm and they are able to continue their leisure activities for longer than they are able to in winter. On the other hand, those who are fond of snow appreciate late winter, when the ski slopes are covered in powder and (at least in places geographically north of Athens, AL) yards and roofs become invisible. Personally, I love the few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.Sure…I cannot remember ever seeing snow in Alabama during this time period and acknowledge that there never seem to be enough hours in the days to take care of shopping or school exams or cooking, but for those four to five weeks the entire world focuses on what could accurately be called the best in human nature. Adults spend much of their free time considering what gifts
would make their loved ones happy and then battle crazy shoppers and disgruntled store clerks to pay amounts of money which took months to save all in the hope that their efforts will make someone else happy. Families who live thousands of miles apart load up in planes, trains, and automobiles to navigate through long lines and heavy traffic just so that they will be able to share a single meal together (an event which they know will not happen again until the same time next year unless there is a death). Most importantly, people of every nation turn their collective attention to the most pivotal event in history: the birth of a Savior sent from heaven to rescue mankind.As humans, we are trapped by our finite minds and at times have trouble comprehending all that took place in that manger a couple thousand years ago. We struggle to understand how God can be fully divine and fully human. We wrestle with questions about the Holy Trinity and how a virgin-born man can function as the third participant in such an almighty entity. Even the idea of a virgin-born man brings up problems that neither science nor logic can solve. We read that the angel of the Lord explained the birth of Jesus to local shepherds by saying, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”(Luke 2:9-11). We read this verse and we accept this verse, but I often wonder if we understand this verse.
In his book The Shack, Wm. Paul Young explains the deity and role of this “Savior, who is Christ the Lord” in a way that would make C.S. Lewis appreciative. This explanation is offered during a conversation between a guy named Mack and the God of heaven who has in this instance taken the form of a large black woman cooking dinner:
“Jesus is fully human. Although he is fully God, he has never drawn upon his nature
as God to do anything. He has only lived out of his relationship with me, living in the very same manner that I desire to be in a relationship with every human being. He is just the first to do it to the uttermost—the first to absolutely trust my life within him, the first to believe in my love and my goodness without regard for appearance or consequence.” (pp. 99-100)In other words, Jesus truly emptied himself of his divine nature (Phil 2:7) and did everything, miracles and all, by depending on the Father just as the Father wants us to do. While, as God, Jesus could have done any number of things, he chose to limit his own abilities so that we might see perfectly what it means to be lost in the Father’s love and power.
When we reflect upon the birth of Jesus, especially during this time of year, let us truly understand his mission. Yes, Jesus came to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10), but he does so by exemplifying the kind of faith that he proved can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). That baby in swaddling cloth shows us how to become perfect. We become perfect by becoming like him, who did nothing except through the Father and for the purpose of bringing glory to Him. Jesus answered critics by saying, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God’. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death” (John 8:50-51). In this upcoming year, let us try to do just that: keep his word by mimicking the relationship he had with the Father.
